Easter Week in Seville

One of the most striking features of Seville’s Holy Week is its collection of Virgin Mary statues carried beneath ornate canopies. These Baroque images are adorned with silver or gold crowns, intricately embroidered mantles and velvet robes, leaving only their faces and hands visible.

Celebrated since the 16th century, Seville’s Holy Week is renowned around the world and ranks among Spain’s most spectacular and moving festivities. Religious devotion, artistic heritage, vivid colours and music come together in processions commemorating the death of Jesus Christ. Members of the city’s religious brotherhoods, dressed in their traditional garments, carry elaborate floats known as pasos through the streets, accompanied by drums and music, creating scenes of solemn beauty.

During Holy Week, 71 penitential brotherhoods and confraternities take part in the processions, bringing together around 50,000 nazarenos — participants dressed in traditional robes and pointed hoods. Meanwhile, costaleros carry the religious floats on their shoulders. Processions take place every afternoon and evening. Each brotherhood departs from its own church and follows a designated route, but all must pass through the official route known as the carrera oficial, which begins on Calle Campana and ends as the procession leaves the Cathedral. From there, the participants return to their church by a different route.

One of the most moving moments is hearing the saetas: traditional flamenco songs performed a cappella by singers from balconies as a tribute to the religious images passing below.

The most important night of Seville’s Holy Week is La Madrugá, spanning the night between Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Some of the city’s most venerated images appear in these processions, including Jesús del Gran Poder, La Macarena, Esperanza de Triana and Cristo de los Gitanos. The streets remain filled with crowds and emotion throughout the night and well into the following day.

Patience is essential, as waiting times to see these celebrated floats can be lengthy. You can watch the processions from almost any point along their routes, except within the carrera oficial. This section has chairs and viewing boxes available for spectators. Those interested in purchasing seats can contact the Consejo Superior de Hermandades y Cofradías.